06/28/11 Recommended New Releases

June wraps up with a hell of a bang this week. Don't forget to use and abuse the Best Buy coupon to save $5 on any Blu-ray or DVD priced $14.99+ (includes sale items!), as it sure to help while obtaining some of the titles hitting shelves today:

The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy [Extended Edition] (Peter Jackson, 2001, 2002 & 2003) - A legendary modern trilogy that requires no introduction, fans were coping with a mixture of disappointment and outrage in April of 2010 when the trilogy finally arrived on the Blu-ray format - but only the theatrical cuts. Now, just over a year later, the much-adored, much longer extended cuts are available on Blu-ray in one nifty boxed set loaded with hours upon hours of special features.

Format: Blu-ray - Obviously, right? The more pertinent question with this release is where to buy it. Best Buy has it on sale for $69.99 this week (and you can use that nifty $5 coupon to make it a little cheaper). Amazon has it for the same price, making the Best Buy coupon pretty much irrelevant for this release considering the fact that you will still have to pay sales tax at Best Buy. Personally, as much as I was anticipating this release, I will be holding off until it goes on sale for a bit less - perhaps Black Friday.

Sucker Punch (Zack Snyder, 2011) - Most film enthusiasts I encounter either love Zack Snyder or hate him; I just so happen to be one of the former. His latest visual treat is about a young girl, Baby Doll (Emily Browning), who is placed in a mental facility and scheduled to be lobotomized by her abusive stepfather. In an effort to cope with her grim fate, Baby Doll retreats into an alternate reality created by her boundless imagination.

Format: Blu-ray/DVD/DC Extended Cut - The combo pack includes the extended cut of the film on Blu-ray as well as the theatrical cut on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Copy; the extended cut adds runs seventeen minutes longer. It appears to be on sale at most retailers for $22.99 this week, though it can be had a little cheaper at Best Buy with the $5 coupon.

Barney's Version (Richard J. Lewis, 2010) - An excerpt from the official synopsis: "Based on Mordecai Richler's prize-winning novel--his last, and arguably best--Barney's Version is the warm, wise, and witty story of Barney Panofski (Paul Giamatti), a seemingly ordinary man who lives an extraordinary life. A candid confessional, told (as its title implies) entirely from Barney's point of view, the film spans four decades and two continents, taking us through the many highs, and a few too many lows, of our hero's long and colorful life."

Format: Blu-ray/DVD Combo - Another Sony Pictures Classics release, which means that the combo format is the only option. It seems to be retailing for roughly $29.99 most places (only a dollar less on Amazon). If your local Best Buy is carrying it (the one here in Wilmington, NC is), the $5 coupon will certainly help a little.

Max Manus: Man of War (Joachim Rønning & Espen Sandberg, 2008) - Set during Nazi Germany's WWII occupation of Norway, the film recounts the true story of the courageous saboteur, Max Manus (Aksel Hennie).

Format: DVD - Music Box Films is the distributor, which generally means one can expect very few supplemental features. The case is no different here, and the Blu-ray sports nothing extra. Unless you have a MovieStop in your area (which is selling the DVD for $22.99), your chances of spotting the title on store shelves outside of a Barnes & Noble are slim none. While B&N usually has higher prices, they are currently running a Buy-2-Get-1-Free special on all movies, which makes it a sensible option. Alternately, Best Buy has it available online for $24.99, and Amazon has it for $26.99.

3 Backyards (Eric Mendelsohn, 2010) - a meditative film that offers a glimpse into the lives of three different individuals on an autumn day in Long Island: a man (Elias Koteas) who decides not to go home and deal with his failing marriage when his flight out of town is canceled, opting instead to check into a hotel; a bored housewife (Edie Falco) who is all too excited when she discovers that her new neighbor is a popular actress; and an eight-year-old girl (Rachel Resheff) who misses her school bus while playing with her mother's bracelet, and decides to walk to school on her own

Format: DVD - Only available on DVD. I do not know of any retailers carrying the title in-stores, but you can acquire it from Amazon for $22.49.







Finally, it appears the the next DLC character for Mortal Kombat, Kenshi, will be arriving next Tuesday, July 5th. Here is a trailer courtesy of Netherrealm Studios:



I, for one, am ecstatic.